Work Experience Requirements for Engineering Applicants

Applicants completing a Professional Engineering application must complete two forms to show their work experience, the Work Record Validator List (WRVL) and the Competency-Based Assessment Tool (CBAT). The WRVL measures the duration (time) of an applicant's experience, while the CBAT captures their experience and competencies.

Click to download the CBA Guide

Competency Self-Assessment Worksheet

Before completing the WRVL and the CBAT, applicants are given the opportunity to complete a Competency Self-Assessment Worksheet (CSAW) to compare their competencies with APEGA's minimum requirement. This will help applicants determine whether they should continue their application or wait until they have gained further experience in the required competencies.

Read about the CSAW

Work Record Validator List

The WRVL is used to confirm that the applicant has obtained at least forty-eight (48) months of professional-level engineering experience, as legally mandated by the EGP Act and General Regulations (Div. 5 13(1)(e)(i)). The WRVL ideally will be referenced by the same person the applicant has listed as their validator; however, it can also be referenced by a manager, Human Resources staff member, or other person who can confirm their work chronology (time). This references does not need to have in-depth technical knowledge of the work that was performed.

Read about the WRVL

Competency-Based Assessment Tool

The CBAT is used to confirm that an applicant has achieved proficiency in the twenty-two (22) competencies and indicators required for registration as a Professional Engineer.

Application of Theory

The application of theory in your respective discipline must include:

selecting solutions and solving problems
preparing and checking designs or interpretations
providing evidence of sound technical judgement and practices
demonstrating familiarity with the use of application of pertinent technologies, procedures, systems, and programs

Although your experience can include the collection and analysis of information and data, it should not be the major component of your experience.

Practical Experience

The practical experience must include:

being exposed to work-site operations
recognizing limitations in designs, interpretations or recommendations, and understanding the application of pertinent codes and regulations
understanding the interdependence of disciplines, systems and activities, and developing working relationships

The BOE will consider increased technical competency and increasing levels of responsibility when evaluating your experience.

Each competency must also be validated by a professional member or senior practitioner who is familiar with the applicant's work and who took technical responsibility for their work.

Any work that was obtained within Canada must be by a Professional Engineer registered in a Canadian Engineering Association. International experience may be validator by a equivalent Senior Practitioner.

Read about the CBAT

An instructional YouTube Playlist has been put together with visual information on using the CBA Tool.

Watch the full Competency-Based Assessment playlist on YouTube

Technical Responsibility

Taking technical responsibility can mean authenticating the work or conducting a detailed review of the applicant's technical work.

Different Experience from Degree

Different Field

If an applicant's experience was acquired in a field other than their degree (i.e., a geology graduate working in engineering) the APEGA Board of Examiners may require the applicant to obtain:

Substantial academic upgrading
Experience beyond the four (4) year requirement
Both academic upgrading and additional experience

The Competency-Based Assessment (CBA) Application Process

After creating the myAPEGA account and uploading the required information, the applicant will begin to enter their work experience in the online e-Forms (Step 6) of the application process.
The Competency Self-Assessment Worksheet is an optional form but highly recommended for applicants to complete to compare their work experience competencies against those required by APEGA.
- A fillable PDF version of the CSAW is available.
- For a system-generated summary report, applicants must complete the CSAW after starting their application for Licensee or Professional Membership. This is available in the Online Application System of the myAPEGA portal.
- Once the CSAW is submitted, it cannot be edited and text cannot be copied and pasted into your CBAT. Applicants may wish to save this content -before submitting- in a word document for future use.
Complete the draft Work Record Validator List (WRVL).
- In the WRVL, list all relevant engineering experience, references, and validators to be used in the CBAT.
- Do not enter periods of unemployment, education, or non-engineering experience.
- Gaps should not be any longer than seven (7) years.
- A minimum of three (3) different validators are required.
- The "Save All" button must be clicked at the bottom of each page to ensure that the information transfers into the CBAT.
- Once the draft WRVL is submitted, applicants will not have access to this again until the application has been paid.
Complete the draft Competency-Based Assessment Tool (CBAT).
- In the CBAT, applicants must score themselves on a scale of 0 - 5 on twenty-two (22) key competencies and provide detail on how they obtained the competency. Here a validator will also be selected to "validate" the score.
- A minimum of three (3) different validators are required.
- Once the draft of the CBAT is submitted, applicants will not have access to this again until they have paid for their application.
Applicants must pay the application fee within ninety (90) days of starting the application, otherwise all the provided information will be deleted, and they will be required to restart the process.
After payment, applicants will review and finalize the Work Record Validator List (WRVL).
- Before the second submission, applicants will be required to review the information they originally provided in the WRVL, confirm its accurateness, and submit.
Once the WRVL is submitted for the second time, applicants will review and finalize the Competency-Based Assessment Tool.
- Before the second submission, applicants will need to review the information and scores provided in the CBAT, confirm its accurateness, and submit.
After the second submit of the WRVL and the CBAT, applicants will need to be in contact with their listed references and validators who are now receiving the Modified Reference Questionnaire (MRefQ) and the Validator Response Form (VRF).
- The application cannot proceed until the completed MRefQs and VRFs are received by APEGA.
APEGA requires that all MRefQs, VRFs, and at least one academic must be submitted to us within ninety (90) days of paying for the application. If the MRefQs, VRF's and at least one academic is not submitted within ninety (90) days of paying for the application, the application will be withdrawn.

Once all responses have been completed and all academics have been received, the application will be placed in queue to be assigned to a Registration staff member. After all the final requirements have been submitted, they will forward the application for review.

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